031: Let Me Reintroduce Myself with Tiana Fech

01/09/24 • 63 min

This episode was suggested to me by a few people! I was asked: Why don’t you have an episode where someone interviews you? The reason - this would be a way for people to get to know you better and learn more about you and your story. I want to say a huge thank you to Lyndsie Barrie for offering to be the interviewer for this ‘role reversal’ episode. Lyndsie Barrie has been an instrumental part in turning mere ideas into viable businesses for many women entrepreneurs. In 2019, Lyndsie launched a marketing school and community called “YYC Fempreneurs”. She has gone to the next level by publishing six books educating women. Lyndsie tirelessly shares her passion for social media marketing and promotes collaboration with like-minded women through online workshops and live events in the Calgary area. Hundreds of women have found the direction, confidence and connections they need to succeed thanks to Lyndsie and her community of Fempreneurs. Lyndsie enjoys her “me time” in the middle of nowhere swimming in a creek, sitting by a campfire with a beer in her hand, or mountain biking. She loves watching her son play football and hockey. On most afternoons, she can be found taking a 20-minute nap. I am a mom of three boys, who are 17, 15, and 12 years old, and an educator and lifelong learner with a diversity of experience in the field of education including curriculum development, classroom teaching, and inclusive education. I spent 4 years as a sessional instructor in the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary and in 2021 I received an Excellence in Practicum Supervision Award. Currently, I am an Academic Engagement Facilitator at SAIT helping to create collaboration opportunities among the research centers and academic schools to increase student engagement with applied research. Through my book, Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course, and my business, Tiana Fech Consulting, I use a relationship-centered approach to help businesses create and optimize learning experiences that inspire, engage, and connect with their clients, customers, and communities. Of course, I am also the host of this podcast - The People Teaching People Podcast - which is the place to talk about all things teaching and learning in a world where there is always more to discover. Listen in as we talk about: [4:25] My childhood and my parents as role models and teachers [10:52] Some of my favourite teachers [17:29] The people in my life who have taught me by example [26:33] How curiosity can lead to opportunities [33:48] My podcast journey over the last 4 years [42:48] My advice to my 10 year younger self [59:27] Advice for people who are thinking of starting a podcast LEARNING FROM MY PARENTS Although as a teenager, I thought that I had the strictest parents in the neighbourhood, my parents taught me many things. This included being generous, the importance of relationships, and the value of experiences over things. My parents were, and continue to be, role models who have influenced the person that I am today. The value of experiences over things plays a big part in my own family and is one of our key family values. As I did with my parents and brother and sister, my husband and I and our 3 kids do a lot of things together. This includes camping, travelling, and birthday special times. When you have 3 children, getting one-on-one time with your kids can be a challenge! Birthday special times are special outings for the birthday kiddo, one with just mom and one with just dad. BECOMING A TEACHER From a young age, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. This dream started when I was just seven years old, inspired by an amazing teacher I had. She was incredible in every way, creating a classroom environment that was welcoming, fun, and an ideal place for learning. Her impact on me was profound, and I aspired to be just like her. My parents believed in letting us choose our own paths.

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030: A Palette of Art, Learning, and Growth with Nancy Macdonald

In this episode, Nancy Macdonald joins me to talk about art, and the connection and impact between the art we make and our learning experiences. “When one teaches, two learn”. This quote by Robert Heinlein so beautifully highlights a key takeaway from my conversation with Nancy. Being open to learning and remaining curious, as a teacher and as a learner, can lead to so many beautiful experiences and opportunities to grow. I love how Nancy describes her art studio as a lab for life and how she shares her story of evolving and pivoting her business - which started over 20 years ago around her kitchen table. Nancy Macdonald traffics in hope and joy. She is a bestselling author, public speaker and owner of Art Studio For Children where she has had the great privilege, joy and mess of serving over 7000 artists of all ages. Her love of the unexpected, coincidence, hidden meaning and humor are thrown onto every canvas. The art school is an opportunity to love, nurture and empower others and give Nancy the most joyful work she could imagine. Listen in as we talk about: [2:30] Nancy’s story of becoming an artist and establishing an art studio for children [5:00] Art and non-art skills learned in the studio [13:10] The reciprocity of teaching and learning in the world of art [18:10] Learning and growing over 20 years in business [27:00] Some challenges in teaching art and overcoming these [34:25] The evolution of art with technology [39:30] Making a learning space magical [44:45] What Nancy is most proud of [46:50] Nancy answers some rapid fire questions ART AND NON-ART SKILLS LEARNED IN THE STUDIO “Gratitude makes us happy. Happiness doesn't make us grateful. It's really the act of being grateful that gives us a sense of happiness, not the other way around.” Nancy shares that there are art and non-art skills learned from her studio experience, including fostering a deep sense of agency and gratitude, respecting studio space, and practicing gratitude through the "eight great" exercise. This exercise involves expressing gratitude for eight things starting with a chosen letter, cultivating happiness through appreciation. Nancy encourages taking breaks to elevate work from good to great, sharing this approach with students of all ages. Inclusivity is a core value, promoting respect, listening, and enjoying both invigorating and quiet studio times. Art skills encompass various techniques such as perspective, composition, color, and texture. Nancy emphasizes the significance of understanding art words like impastos, sgraffito, and layering, building a toolkit not only for artistic endeavors but also for life. The studio focuses on merging art and life skills to enhance the overall learning experience. THE RECIPROCITY OF TEACHING AND LEARNING IN THE WORLD OF ART “We are here to learn, not to get it right.” Nancy talks about how, as a teacher, you can be prepared and good at what you do but there is always room for improvement. There’s room for surprise. There’s room for every student in the room, no matter their age, to teach you something or to remind you that this is a journey. None of us know everything. Nancy talks about how she is constantly raised up by the artists that she works with. This includes their creative ideas, sense of fun and pure love for the moment, They have a mutual admiration for each other. It creates an opportunity for authentic connection between teacher and students. Nancy says that when our hands are busy, our hearts and spirits are more free to share what’s troubling us, what we are struggling with, what is difficult, and what is joyful. THE EVOLUTION OF ART WITH TECHNOLOGY Nancy envisions the future of art in the context of technology and digital art, acknowledging the essential role it played during the pandemic and in her online design lab, nanceromance.com. Here, she transforms her abstract paintings into wearable art and customizable items, bridging the gap between traditional art and techno...

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032: Sipping, Learning, and Writing with the Sangria Sisters

On this episode of the People Teaching People podcast, I sit down with the Sangria Sisters, Val MacLean and Lori McGillivray. After following their journey for several years on social media, I recently got to meet Val and Lori in real life at a YYC Fempreneurs event in Calgary! I have always enjoyed their fun content and positive energy and admired their commitment to giving back. A memorable online interaction that I had with them was when my Instagram account got hacked and the hacker was sending messages to my followers to try and hack their accounts - there really are some terrible people in the world! Val and Lori knew that the hacker wasn’t me because the messages were curt and there were no heart emojis! If there’s one word to describe the sisters, it’s fun. Val MacLean and Lori McGillivray share how life isn’t always rosé behind the white picket fence in their hilarious humour blog “Sangria Sisters.” Relatable and real, they tackle titillating topics with trucker mouth care. The Sisters use their platform to champion women and causes close to their hearts. Their goal is to spread kindness and joy every damn day. Listen in as we talk about: [2:41] How the Sangria Sisters’ journey began [4:34] Deciding what to write about [6:09] Something that has surprised Val and Lori in their journeys [12:16] Val and Lori’s favourite blog posts [15:46] How has teaching and learning been a part of their blogging journey [20:25] Feedback from their readers [25:27] Advice for creators wanting to start a blog [29:54] What led them to co-author three books [37:08] The motherhood advice they would give to their past selves [43:42] Why giving back is so important [46:51] Val and Lori’s favourite teachers [50:18] Val and Lori answer some rapid-fire questions Connect with the Sangria Sisters: Website: https://www.sangriasisters.ca Instagram: @sangriasistersblog Facebook: @SangriaSisters Twitter: @sangria_sisters TikTok: @sangriasistersblog LinkedIn: Lori McGillivray Val MacLean Connect with Tiana: Website: https://tianafech.com LinkedIn: Tiana Fech Instagram: @tianafech Facebook: @tianafech Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course DECIDING WHAT TO WRITE ABOUT Val and Lori discuss their creative process for deciding what to write about. They begin with brainstorming sessions, where they throw out various ideas and refer to a list of topics they've compiled over the years. This process helps them identify subjects that resonate more strongly. When they find a topic that sparks their interest, the ideas start flowing naturally. They focus on elements like humour and entertainment, quickly developing content around the chosen theme. However, some ideas are set aside for later or may never be revisited, but this doesn't worry them. Lori emphasizes that in their seven years of working together, they have never run out of content or ideas. This is attributed to the relatability of their life experiences and the inspiration they draw from their audience and friends. They find that there is always something happening in their lives or around them that provides the necessary inspiration and "fodder" for their writing. This continuous influx of ideas and experiences ensures a steady stream of inspiration for their work. TEACHING AND LEARNING IN BLOGGING “Face your fears. If they hold you back, you're not learning, you're not expanding, you're not growing.” Lori and Val describe their blogging journey as a continuous process of teaching and learning, particularly regarding technology. They admit to not being very tech-savvy, which has resulted in a steep learning curve in managing their website, uploading content, and handling technical issues. They often find themselves frustrated with technology, especially when it malfunctions, leading to a lot of swearing! Their journey has involved extensive research and self-training, which includes Googling solutions,